Taco Bell Honors Women's History Month: Meet Jasmine B., Live Más Scholar
At Taco Bell, we empower our teams to be fearless, embrace difference and drive change. We believe that each one of us has a story to tell.
This year’s nationwide Women’s History Month’s focus is Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories, which you can learn more about on nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org.
To honor and celebrate this year’s focus and women at The Bell, we will continue to tell their stories and amplify their voices. We will share their stories every week in the month of March in hopes that they not only educate but inspire you to drive positive and intentional impact within your community.
But first, a little Women’s History Month background... March is dedicated as Women’s History Month in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Australia. In 1982, Women’s History Week was officially launched in the United States. Five years later, the entire month of March was devoted to acknowledging courageous trailblazers across all backgrounds – creating room to celebrate the cultural impact of past, current, and future generations.
Throughout the year, we will continue sharing the incredible stories of our Taco Bell teams; the sharing and celebration doesn’t stop here.
Jasmine B. - Live Más Scholar
Even at young age, Jasmine knew she wanted to be a journalist and did everything she could to gain experience, including editing videos and photos. When she was a senior in high school, she was a news anchor on the student newscast, and even co-directed a documentary named A Woofing Inspiration, which won third place in the Virginia High School League Competition. She used her video skills to create a Live Más Scholarship submission and her hard work was rewarded – she received a $25,000 Live Más Scholarship from the Taco Bell Foundation to pursue her college education. The Taco Bell team, the school staff and her mother were all there to give her the news, which gave her a sense of pride and even more confidence to take the next step in her education journey.
In high school, she wanted to attend a four-year university with a major in Mass Communication and Minor in Creative writing. At the time, she was stressing about her financial situation and how she could afford college, especially her dream school... Hampton University. This scholarship helped make all those dreams come true, “I feel very lucky to be working at this restaurant [Taco Bell] that has provided me with these types of opportunities. I do not know where I would be if I had not applied to Taco Bell in my junior year of high school. I know that other companies provide opportunities to their teams, but I feel like Taco Bell has a family environment that I could never get anywhere else. I know when I come home for a break from school, I have a second home where I can come and feel a sense of nostalgia from a place that has given me a chance to follow my dreams.”
But Jasmine is not only a student – she’s a big sister, was co-captain of her dance team, and a seasonal Taco Bell restaurant team member at franchise organization BurgerBusters, Inc. And now, she attends Hampton University, is a member of the Freshman Executive Council, a member of Hampton University Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists and has her very own YouTube channel. All in all, there is never a dull moment in her life.
But she couldn’t do it without the support and love of her family, especially her mother and grandmother. The women in her family taught her determination and strength.
“As a woman, I’m proud to have a month [like Women’s History Month] that celebrates me being a woman and all the accomplishments women have made in the world. But it means more to me as an African American woman. It’s double the impact for me because I can appreciate all the achievements these women have made that enhanced the world in a positive way.”
She uses that knowledge every time she steps out of her comfort zone and tries new things, and she knows that her mother will always be there to support her on her new adventures. She thanks her mother, grandmother and all the women before her for the way they have nurtured her to become a leader and role model.
“As an aspiring leader, I know it can be difficult to lead others when you aren’t 100% sure what you want to do. To be a good leader, you must also know how to follow. This means you must be comfortable in your confidence in order to learn how to be a better leader.”
With this new chapter ahead at Hampton University, she’s ready to take on her dream of becoming a broadcast journalist. As a future woman in journalism, Jasmine hopes that she will become a role model for little girls, especially her two little sisters. With all she has accomplished thus far, there is no doubt that she will make a true impact in the world.
“I’m excited for the future and what the world will challenge me with. My hard work and determination to be successful will help me achieve any new goals I make. The future is unknown to everyone and that’s exciting because you never know where you will end up so it’s essential to live life to the fullest.”
Her favorite color is blue. She’s a Libra. She loves Nacho Fries. She’s a powerhouse. She’s Jasmine; she’s a Live Más Scholar and future broadcast journalist. Jasmine, we can’t wait to see you on the screen in the future and feel proud to know you.
